Parachute



P. 'NASC'A Jan. 19, 1943.

PARACHUTE Filed March- 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

PARACHUTE File'd March 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4

. canopy.

the primary canopy I part of the rigging system Patented Jan. 1a, 1943 PARACHUTE Fasqusle Nasca, Rome, Italy; vested in the Allen Property Custodian Application March 16, 1940, Serial No. 324.411

In Italy March 1'3; i939 5 Claims. (CL 244-142) This invention relates to a parachute adapted to be dropped from aeroplanes flying at high or low speed or at a low altitude and having means enabling the parachutist to retard opening, control the speed of descent and to a certain extent control the direction of descent. For the purpose of retarding the opening of the parachute canopy, an auxiliary canopy is arranged between the main canopy and the parachutist, said auxiliary canopy acting as a screen protecting the main canopy from being violently struck by the air until the speed of descent has decreased to a predetermined limit.

. A further feature of the invention is an. arrang'ement or rigging lines secured to the border of the main canopy and an auxiliary canopy and extending through the apex vent of the auxili ry a py, wards and fixed to the edge or the auxiliary The parachutist is suspended to the loop by means of pulleys. The interacting aerowound in a loop and then extending upring I supported by cords 8 secured to the canopy skirt. The edge of the second auxiliary canopy i carries rings 6a. 6b, one of the cords 2-211 dynamic resistances of the main and auxiliary canopy causes the loop to slide on the pulleys increasing gradually the distance between the canopies.

The annexed drawings show diagrammatically by way of example an embodiment of the invention.

primary canopy and the two adapted to open successively, being still in closed condition while both auxiliary canopies are open;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l, with parachute having a auxiliary canopies,

' the means for controlling the opening of the primary canopy and upturning of the second auxiliary canopy operated but not yet eflective;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2 but with the primary and first auxiliary canopies open and the second auxiliary canopy in reversed or upturned condition;

Figure 4 is a digrammatic sectional view of wound on pulleys from which the parachutist is suspended.

In the drawings numeral 1 indicates a primary parachute canopy having an elastic apical vent provided with a rigging system connected to cords 2 led through the nonelastic apex vent in a first auxiliary canopy 3, said cords 2 being connected to the cords 2a or said first auxiliary canopy. The cords 2, 2a form loops encircling the pulleys 4 01 a cage ii, to which the parachutist 6 is suspended. The cords 2 are led through a second auxiliary'canopy 5, arranged at a suitable distance from the first auxiliary canopy), and a Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a secured to the edge of the canopy 3 passing through each of said rings. The border of the apical vent 6b in the canopy 6 is connected to the parachutist by means of a cord 9, which can be released by the parachutist and by means of a cord in secured to thecage ll of the pulleys 4.

The inner side of the parachute i is placed in the pack at a suitable distance from the apical vent of the auxiliary canopy 3. when the parachute is first dropped, Figure 1, the parachutlst, through his inertia, applies the tension to the whole system; the auxiliary canopy 3 is opened first and prevents the inner side of the parachute from being violently struck by the air.

when the parachute is dropped from an emoplane flying at great speed the openingv of the parachute is retarded. As the descent speed decreases the auxiliary canopy 3 is further removed from the main canopy i; the air strikes the latter (Fig. 3) and complete opening is efiected.

' When the parachute is dropped from an aeroplane flying at reduced speed or standing or flying at a low altitude, the primary canopy I should open immediately; the action of the auxiliary canopy 3 must therefore be eliminated. This is obtained by .means of the auxiliary canopy 6, which is released by the parachutist by disengaging the cord 9 of the apex air approaches the canopy 3 and the ring 1 clamps the cords 2 as long as the cord Ill appliesa tension to the border 0! the apexvent. The

canopy 2 is upturned by the wind (Fig. 3) eliminating the influence of the 'air on the canopy 3, which collapses. The primary canopy is fully struck by the air even at a low rate of descent.

The parachutist may reduce the opening of the canopy by means of cords secured to the canopy skirt thus increasing the rate of descent or controlling to a certain extent the direction of descent.

Fig. 4 shows by way of example a form of the cage ll of the pulleys 4 supporting the para chutist. The ends of cords 2 of the primary canopy and cords 2a of the first auxiliary canopy 8 are attached to said cage, and the cords 9 and Ill of the second auxiliary canopy 6 are attached to the first auxiliary canopy. The cord i0 is fixed and cord 9 may be quickly released by the parachutist.

The cage is substantially constituted by a plate Ila provided with depending extensions of passing through a loop 9a of each cord strand.

said cords being of receiving the pivots 4a of pulleys 4, said exteng sions being arranged on a number of radii equal to the number of cords 2, 2a. The plate is provided with'openings through which are led the cords 2 and a central large opening receiving a pivot I 3, the conical head I 4 of which rests on the plate. The parachutist is suspended from the pivot l3 by means of the cord 5a led through a diametric opening. The plate Ila carries a drum. l5 having large radial slots and supporting, by means of a, flange l5a and pivot l3 a casing l6 for the pulleys, one or more cords l being attached to said casing. I The cord 9 is unwound and secured to the end the pivot l3 by means of an axial pin I! The parachutist can release the pin ll by pulling the string 18 thus disengaging the cords 9; the tension is then applied to the cords l0 owing to sliding of theauxiliary canopy 6.

Sliding of the cords 2, 2a when the parachute is being dropped is prevented by a lock mechanism, which may be released by the parachutist. The cords 2 and 2a are provided with stop knots '9, which are pressed and held by friction on the wall of the cylinder I (as shown in dotted lines) having inclined planes I 5b by an elastic ring 20 forced on the conical head I4 by a mushroom head of the slide 2| pivot l3. The slide 2| is'formed with a longitudinal opening through which are led the cords 22 with. knots 23 of larger diameter than the opening. By keeping one or both cords 22 stretched, the parachutist prevents the knots IQ of cords 2 from passing through the ring 20 and defers opening of the primary canopy, more particularly in case the parachute is dropped from an aeroplane flying at high speed or at a high altitude. The ring 20,- on releasing the cords, rises through its elasticity along the conical head I4 releasing the knots The cords are attached at two diametrically opposite points of the substantial length, so that, even in case of complete opening of the primary canopy, the cord ends are free and may be grasped by the para chutis't, who, by pulling either of them, may direct the descent.

The constructional details of the primary and auxiliary canopies, the cage and all parts generally may be varied without departing from the spirit of the-invention.

The second auxiliary canopy is not essential for the operation of the apparatus; its use may however be useful in certain flying conditions or resistance of the parachute.

What I claim is: r

l. Parachute comprising a main canopy, an auxiliary canopy having V an apical vent and arranged beneath said main canopy, sup orting means for the parachutist suspension pulleys associated-with said supporting means, a plurality of,cords secured to the peripheral ,edge of the main canopy and led through the apical vent of the auxiliary canopy and on said pulleys and secured to the peripheral edge of said auxiliary canopy: so that on dropping the par chute said sliding axially in the edge of the primary canopy,

IS; the cords slide freely, I and the primary canopy opens as above described.

auxiliary canopy to annul its action at the do sired moment, a ring beneath said second auxiliary canopy, cords connecting said ring to the edge of the second auxiliary canopy, a suspension cage for the parachutist arranged beneath said ring, pulleys associated with said cage, a bundle of cords secured to the peripheral edge of the main canopy and led through the apical vent of both auxiliary canopies and ring and on the pulleys and upwards along the peripheral edge of the second auxiliary canopy and secured to the peripheral edge or the first auxiliary canopy, a cord attached to the border of the apexvent of said auxiliary canopy and anchored to'thecage, to 'be released by the para-- chutist when desired, a second cor permanently the edge of the apex vent of the anchored, so that, V the second auxiliary canopy approaches the first auxiliary canopy and is upturned substantially closing the aperture of the first auxiliary canopy, whichcollapses thus leaving free passage to the air towards the aperture of the main canopy} 3. Parachute, as claimed in claim 2, comprising lock means in the cage to preventsliding of the cords passing onthe pulleys. I 1 1 Q: as claimed in claim 2, compri si 4. Parachute, ing, in the cage, a suspension hollowpivot hav ing a conical head, a hollow slide provided with a mushroom head sliding in said pivot, an elastic ring fitted on said slide, knots in the cords pass- 1 stop knotsled 5 through the opening of said slide and actuated 1 ing on the pulleys, strings with faces of the cage to hold the knots of the cords to allow sliding thereof, the alternate action on, v to impart a certain direc said strings permitting tion to the parachute.

when the first cord is released,

' PASQUALE NASCA. 

